Today, we look at why the police cars on ABC’s The Rookie are called “shops.”
In Pop Culture Questions Answered, I answer whatever questions you folks might have about movies, TV, music or whatever (feel free to e-mail questions to me at brian@pop culture references.com).
I did a few other The Rookie related questions earlier this year and reader Roger N. wrote in to ask another one! He wanted to know why the police cars on The Rookie are referred to as “shops.”
On the popular police series starring Nathan Fillion as the oldest rookie in the LAPD (based on a true story), the officers do, indeed, refer to their cars as their “shops.” The reason for that is the number that is listed on each car…
That is the “shop number,” to differentiate each police car from each other for maintenance purposes. Therefore, cops would routinely be asked for their shop number and that was shortened over the years to simply “their shop” and the nickname stuck. Since then, I’m sure some cops have tried to come up with alternate meanings (like “this is where we do business” or whatever), but that’s THE reason.
Thanks for the question, Roger!
If anyone else has a pop culture question, drop me a line at brian@popculturereferences.com
It is not only that, but it is also that it is “where they work”, it is their “shop”
Sure, Jack, but like I note, that’s a secondary meaning. You know, once the nickname was well-established, then people started giving it alternate definitions, with “this is where we work” being the most popular by far.
actually that is where they do their business is the meaning what you are describing is not the meaning of the word but the origin of the word You’re describing the etymology and that changes over time
in the beginning it was as you describe but now it is no longer as you describe now they call it shop because that’s where they work That’s how languages evolve